Apparel protector



NOV. 20, 1934. J D BOWEN 1,981,775

' APPAREL PROTECTOR Filed June 14, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 20, 1934. J. D. BOWEN 1,981,775

APPAREL PROTECTOR Filed June '14, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 20, 1934 I umrao sTATas PATENT OFFICE APPAREL rao'rsc'ron John D. Bowen, Kano. Application June 14, 193,3. Serial No. 675,836

Claims. (01. era-o1).

The invention relates to an apparel protector. Heretofore there have-been designed analogous devices, but in use these have'apparently failed to accomplish .the desired results, and, in many 5 instances, have proven inadequate in design and.

operation.

The present invention is particularlyadaptable for diversified association with metallic clothing hangers, which have universal use today, not

only in cleaning, pressing and clothing establishments, but also extensively in the home. Ap-

' parel which has been washed, cleaned, or pressed,

is usually returned to the customer on the aforementioned hanger, and said apparel is subjected -to creasing at the point of contact with the hanger, as well as the possibility of becoming soiled with dirt or. rust, where the enamel or paint has become broken or worn oi! the hanger, and even stained by the paint. Such is also true where apparel is positioned on hangers of the type described in. the-home, and even more so, since the use of hangers is usually consistently more extensive. 4

Furthermore, when delivery of apparel is being I the invention showing in outline a garment posi- .made to a customer, any'unusual swaying or jiggling of the hanger from its point of suspension will tend tocause the apparel to slip of! of the smooth wire surfaces or thehanger with clearly disadvantageous results.

The. purpose of the presentinvention is to provide a distinct improvement in-devicesof this character by combining obvious simplicity and assured operativeness.

One of the objects of the invention is to provvide an apparel protector,'which in use, will prevent the unsightly creasing of apparel at the points of contact with the hanger. v

Another object of the invention is to'provide an apparel protector which will tend to maintain and not distort the shapes or the apparel.

an apparel protector which will eliminate the soiling of garments at the points of contact. with the hanger, which is particularly important in the Another object of the invention is to provide ignates the horizontal members 11. Such variance Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparel protector which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

with these and other objects and advantages in mind, attention is directed tothe accompanye0 ing drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is an elevational side view of the inventionin association with the hanger, showing one of the diversified adaptations of the device.

Figure 2 isa top view of the invention taken as on the horizontal sectional line 2-2 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the invention taken on the line 3-3 0! Figure 2, showing a garment positioned on the protector, and, in dotted lines showing the functioning or the protector on the hanger, the frictional eng ement between the apparel and protector and the anchoring means thereof to prevent dislodgment of the garment being evident.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end view of the inven- 7 tion as. associated with the hanger and shows in vdotted lines the reciprocating or rocking movement of the device on the hanger.

Figure 5 is an enlarged front view in part of of the device when ,used with the type oi! gal'- ment disclosed in outline.

' Figure 8 is an elevational side view of the invention in association with the hanger, and shows a further one of the diversified adaptations or the device when used with the type of apparel disg5 instance it will be observed closed, and in this are associated that a plurality of the protectors with the hanger.

Refer in mo Particularly to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts, 10 des- 10o metallic clothes 'hanger of conventional design having a lower substantially horizontal member 11, upper converging members 12, which are joined at 13, and a suspension means It has been found thatwhile the shapes or the metallic clothes hangers otthis character are similar, there is a substantial variance between the sizes, particularly the length'of the lower is due to no developments of this nature.

the different designs of the many manufacturers of this type of article, or to the'fact that in the quantity production of the clothes hangers, precision as to size is only generally observed.

In view of the aforementioned circumstances, the present invention has been designed to meet such contingencies, and will function with equal perfection where the sizes of the ha gers vary slightly or to a perceptible degree.

The protector forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises an elongated channel-shaped blank of sheet material of semirigid nature, such as cardboard, or the like, designated generally by the numeral 15. The use of cardboard is, of course, optional, and specifying such is for illustrative purposes only, it being strictly understood that there are innumerable types of material which may be satisfactorily utilized.

The shape of the protector is of importance in its proper functioning in the various ways to which it is adaptable, and it willbe observed that the edge portions 16 of both side portions 17 of the blank when in substantially flat condition taper from their centermost points toward the end portions 18, whereupon the said edge portions flare outwardly as at 19, in substantially fan-shaped manner, and it will be noted, extend beyond the ends of the hanger proper on both sides thereof. The body portion of the hanger is defined by the edges 16, and at each end of the body portion are end portions having means for securing the protector to the hanger as will be hereinafter described.

,' Because of such design. there are formed indentations or, in effect, cut-away portions 20 between the tapering edges 16 and the flared portions 19.

.At the centermost points of each side edge portion 16, the tapered configurations form distinct edge projections or points 21, the functions of which will be hereinafter described. I

On the longitudinal median line of the protector at each end are provided relatively elongated slots 22, and the central portion of the said Ion-- gitudinal median line of the I'irotector is scored or perforated as at 23. Furthermore, the protector has been designed to provide suflicient "surface area so that the contact area between the apparel and the protector will produce the frictional engagement necessary to preventing slippage or distortion of the garment upon the hanger under normal conditions, and yet without using an unnecessary amount of material of which the protector is made, as has been the case in prior horizontal member of the hanger as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it will be adaptable to a freely reciprocating or rocking movement thereon, as shown in Figures 3 and 4-, without the possibility of dislodgment from the hanger, and, at the same time, the elongation of the slots, as disclosed, will adapt the protector to use with varying sizes of hangers.

In order that the operation of the invention in its adaptations to various types of apparel may be thoroughly illustrated and considered, atten tion is directed particularly to Figures 3, 5, 6, '7' and 8. a

To preliminarily prepare the protector for use,

the flat preformed blank is partially folded along I its longitudinal median line, the scored or perforated central section 23 and the slots 22 facilitating coincidence of the fold line and longitudinally median line. Being of semi-rigid material the protector will remain partially folded and the side portions 1'7 including the flared-portions 19 and edge projections or points2l will remain tensioned to facilitate the proper flexing thereof under the pressure of the apparel, so that the said apparel and the protector will, at all times, be in intimate contact with each other, no matter what gyrations of the apparel will be caused by outside forces when the hanger is suspended in the usual manner.

The protector is then positioned upon the lower horizontal member of the hanger, and the end portions of the hanger formed by the said horizontal member and the upper converging members 12, fall within the slots 22, thereby firmly holding the protector from disengagement but permitting a reciprocating or rocking movement of the protector.

Referring to Figures 3 and 5, there will be observed the use of the protector with a garment such as a pair of trousers. The illustration shows the garment normally positioned, and in such a manner that there is no possibility of the hanger imparting an unsightly crease to the garments as is usual at the point of contact with the hanger when the protector is not in use. Furthermore, no part of the hanger will come into contact with the garment, thus preventing the transmission of dirt, rust or paint, since the protector completely covers the lower horizontal member of the hanger.

As heretofore explained, under normal conditions of suspension of the hanger, the frictional contact between the apparel and protector serves to prevent slippage and distortion of the former, and in event of abnormal conditionsof suspensi'oh of the hanger, which, of course, is usual when apparel is being moved or conveyed on hangers from place to place, there is a prevailing tendency for the hanger to sway back and forth or jiggle on the point of suspension.

Under these conditions the reciprocation or rocking of the protector onthe hanger, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, will facilitate the continued and definite frictional contact between the apparel protector and, as disclosed particularly in Figure 3, the edge projections or, points 21 will be forced into the material of which the apparel is made, and anchor the same against slippage or distortion.

At the same'time, and under similar conditions,

"the flared portions 19 eliminate any tendency of 'slippage of the garment longitudinally of the of a garment, such as "trousers, when properly folded, will fall within the indentations '20 formed functions of the edge projections or points 21 will specified, and these hangers are quite customabecome accentuated and operate to definitely anchor the garment.

In Figure 6 there will be observed the use of the protector with another type of garment, such as a ladys dress, and, in this instance, itis desired to eliminate contact between the garment and the upper converging members 12 of the hanger. I

To prepare the protector for this particular adaptation, it is partially folded, as heretofore described, and the scored or perforated central portion 23 of the blank is opened to form a slit 24 by applying slight pressure thereto.

The protector is positioned on the hanger by inserting the suspension means thereof through the slit 24', whereupon the ends of said slit will rest upon, and be held by, the upper converging members 12 of the hanger.- The garment may then be hung upon the protector; for example, as shown in Figure 6, and because of the shape of the protector, no unsightly creases willbe occasioned and the garment will not in any manner be soiled by the hanger. I

With reference to the use of the protector, as illustrated in Figure 7 preparation of the proteetor in this adaptation is similar to that described relative to Figurej, with'the additions of bending downwardly along the upper converging members 12 of the hanger, the end portions of the protector adjacent the ends of the slit.

The nature of the various suitable materials from which the' protector is fabricated permits this operation without destroying the tension for proper flexing thereof as heretofore described.

Inthis instance, the protectoris adapted for use with a type of apparel such as coats or the like, illustrated and outlined in Fi ure '7.

It will be noted that the inside shoulder portions of the garmentrest upon the protector and do not make contact with the hanger.

Furthermore, ,the shapes of the bent down end portions of the protector, particularly the flared endmost portions, will maintain the proper shoulder shape of the garment, eliminating creasing and distortion thereof.

With reierenceto the adaptation of the protector to stili another type of apparel, attention is directed to Figure 8, by which there is illustrated the use of the device as a rack for cravats, in order that they .will not become unnecessarily mussed or soiled.

A protector is positioned on the lower horizontal member of the hangerin the manner hereinbefore described. Thecravats are hung there- -over and a second protector is position d over the or pressed cravats on hangers of the character tector.

rily used as necktie racks in the home. By adapting the protector in the manner specified, the obvious disadvantages of using a plain -metallic hanger for this purpose are eliminated.

If desired, 01 course, any number of protectors might be used in this manner to accommodate and protect a plurality of rows of cravats.

It is believed that the structure, functions and many advantages of the present invention'will be clearly discernible from the foregoing description, and it is strictly understood that there are various changes and modifications of the invention included and contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:--.

1. An apparel protector for use with an apparel hanger comprising an elongated channelshaped blank of stiff sheet material, said blank being relatively wide at its center and relatively narrow between its center and its ends, and having side edges which extend outwardly adjacent the ends of the blank to prevent slippage of the apparel longitudinally of the protector.

2. an apparel protector for use with an ap-v parel hanger comprising an elongatedchannelshaped blank. oi stiif sheet material, means at the ends of said blank for detachably securing the same to a hanger, said blank-being relatively widest its center and relatively narrow between its center and its ends, and having side edges which extend outwardly adjacent the ends of the blank and interiorly of said securing means to prevent slippage of the apparel longitudinally of the protector.

3. An apparel protector for use with an apparel hanger comprising an elongated blank of stiff sheet material which is relatively wide at I its center and has opposite side edges which converge toward the ends of the blank, when the blank is in substantially flat condition, said blank being adapted to be folded or formed channel shaped when applied to an apparel hanger. v

4. An apparel protector for use with an ap-. parel hanger comprising an elongated channel shaped blank of stiff sheet material, said blank having a body portion extending the major length of the blank and end portions at each end of the body portion, the opposite side edges of said blank adjacent said end portions extending outwardly from the edges of said body portion to prevent slippage of the apparel longitudinally of the protector.

5. An apparel protector for use with an apparel hanger comprising an elongated channel shaped blank of stiff sheet material, said blank having a body portion extending the major length of the blank andend portions at each end of the body portion, the opposite side edges of said blank adjacent said end portions tapering outwardly fromthe edges of said body portion to prevent slippage of the apparel longitudinally of the pro- J OHN' D. BOWEN. 

